A feisty Donnie Walsh said it’s his fault the club is not winning, not
Mike D’Antoni’s, and said he has no regrets about embarking two years
ago on this cap-clearing plan that gutted the roster.

The Knicks president also cautioned that he never promised he will hit
a home run this summer during free agency, that the process could take
longer to build a title contender. Walsh gave no indication D’Antoni’s
job is in danger or that he was disappointed in him.

Coach Mike D’Antoni said the reeling Knicks continue to search for
trade opportunities before the Feb. 18 deadline, but with the club
starting to fall out of the playoff race, they might be more inclined
to do a deal that opens up more 2010 cap space.

D’Antoni said the 2010 free-agency plan is a major factor in any deal,
and the Knicks continue to shop Jared Jeffries, whose trade could open
up more cap room. Whether a Jeffries trade turns into a roster upgrade
is debatable because he’s having a good season.

Knicks president Donnie Walsh would not guarantee he will make a trade
by the Feb. 18 trading deadline. But Walsh admitted scenarios will be
explored at this week’s scouting meetings, as he expressed bitter
disappointment with Sunday’s disgraceful 50-point loss to the Mavericks
— the worst home defeat in Knicks history.

As short-term investments go, a Knicks season-ticket plan might seem
rather ill fated. Fans last summer were asked to send thousands of
dollars to a 32-win team that had added no significant talent and was
trudging toward the second year of a wait-now, rebuild-later plan.

The NBA is considering fining Nate Robinson for his agent asking the
Knicks to trade the veteran guard. A Knicks source told the Daily News
that the league has investigated comments made by Aaron Goodwin in
which he criticized Mike D’Antoni for benching Robinson. "I can’t allow
Nate to rot on Mike’s bench and not do anything about it. I can’t allow
this to happen to his career," Goodwin said Dec. 19. "It’s clear that
Mike D’Antoni doesn’t want to play him

Eddy Curry remains disappointed in his lack of playing time. The big
man hasn’t played in four straight games, a string that corresponds
with the Knicks’ recent winning ways – they had won seven of nine
before Friday’s 93-87 loss to the Heat.

Knicks president Donnie Walsh said he is not ready to cave in to a Nate
Robinson trade demand before talking again today with Robinson’s agent,
Aaron Goodwin, in one last attempt to change his mind. Robinson said he
is still hoping things can be resolved, so that he can stay with the
Knicks and put an end to "Nate-Gate."